RAWALPINDI: Two senior officials of the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) were suspended and a departmental inquiry was initiated against them on Friday after a Ground Power Unit (GPU) vehicle hit two airplanes at Benazir Bhutto International Airport.

A PIA spokesman told Dawn that the incident took place when a GPU vehicle hit the two ATR airplanes while passing through the hanger where the airplanes were being examined by the technical ground support staff. As a result the airplanes were damaged and the flight schedules for Gilgit-Baltistan were disturbed.

He said one of the doors of the airplane was damaged, while the fuel tank of the other suffered minor damage. Both airplanes were grounded for further technical inspection.

The general manager and the deputy general manager, who were in-charge of the maintenance area where the airplanes were parked, were suspended. In addition to the two senior officials, the GPU vehicle driver was also suspended and his airport security pass revoked. However, no one was reported injured in the incident.

Published in Dawn, May 17th, 2014